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Post by clone on Sept 18, 2010 12:54:00 GMT -8
Molten Salt Fast Reactor proposal for Mars Vasimr Mission and Other Power Alternatives September 15, 2010 Recently the Space Review had an article by Jeff Foust www.thespacereview.com/article/1690/1 which indicated that Zubrin believes it is quite optimistic to get an alpha of 20 kg/kW for a power source for a VASIMR plasma rocket. The VASIMR mission architectures with the 39-day travel times had assumed an overall mission mass of approximately 600 tons. The VASIMR-based Mars mission concepts, he said, assume an alpha of 1 kg/kW. Here we will review ways to approach or exceed 1 kg/kw power sources, which would enable VASIMR rocket to get to Mars in 39 days. Molten Salt Fast Reactor would take about 50 kg of plutonium and get to about 3 kg/kw. More Vapor Core Reactor Info Development of Liquid-Vapor Core Reactors with MHD Generator for Space Power and Propulsion Applications, DOE Project: DE-FG07-98ID 13635 Principal Investigator: Samim Anghaie Department of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering, University of Florida August 13, 2002 nextbigfuture.com/2010/09/molten-salt-fast-reactor-proposal-for.html
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Post by clone on Sept 18, 2010 13:19:42 GMT -8
New Rocket Engine Could Reach Mars in 40 Days By Jeremy Hsu SPACE.com Contributor posted: 05 March 2010 01:08 pm ET Future Mars outposts or colonies may seem more distant than ever with NASA's exploration plans in flux, but the rocket technology that could someday propel a human mission to the red planet in as little as 40 days may already exist. A company founded by former NASA astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz has been developing a new rocket engine that draws upon electric power and magnetic fields to channel superheated plasma out the back. That stream of plasma generates steady, efficient thrust that uses low amounts of propellant and builds up speed over time. www.space.com/businesstechnology/rocket-engine-mars-trip-100305.html
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Post by clone on Sept 18, 2010 21:51:30 GMT -8
Blackswift: Return of the Spaceplane August 13, 2007 According to the few details available on Blackswift, Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works shop is the main contractor for the vehicle. DARPA, in fact, still isn’t talking about Blackswift; it’s using the HTV-3X designation. But HTV-3X is a departure from the previous Falcon program. Careful observers at last week’s DARPATech, like Bill Sweetman (who also snapped the photo above), noticed some important elements: "Key features – apparent from images snagged from DARPA video, and from other sources – include the fact that HTV-3X is an unmanned, fighter-sized aircraft." Falcon - www.wired.com/dangerroom/2007/08/blackswift-retu/
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Post by moabiter on Sept 19, 2010 21:47:08 GMT -8
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Post by clone on Sept 25, 2010 20:25:49 GMT -8
Russia and India colonize Moon 09.09.2010 The main tasks of the new Indo-Russian project Luna-Resource in the coming years include study of the Moon's poles by landers and delivery from the lunar surface to Earth samples of water and other substances. Research will shed light on the mystery of the origin of our planet, solar system and universe. Start of the project is scheduled for 2013. The Russian lunar exploration program is planned for the next ten years. In the years 2012-2014 there will be two expeditions - the Russian Luna-Glob and the Russian-Indian Luna-Resource. english.pravda.ru/science/tech/09-09-2010/114896-moon-0/
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